Locking device for switch boxes



E. J. WEAVER LOCKING DEVICE FOR SWITCH BOXES Dec. 25, 1923. 1,478,930

Filed July 15. 1921 INN! i citizen of the United States,

v with by unauthorized Patented Dec. 1923.

UNITED STATES 1,478,930 PATENT OFFICE.

EDGAR J. WEAVER, 0F COLUMBUS, OHIO.

LOCKING DEVICE ron-swrrcn BoxEs.

Application filed July 13,

Toallwhmnitmay concern:

Be it known that EDGAR J. WEAVER a residing at (iolumbus, in the countyof Franklin and State of Ohio, has invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Looking Devices for Switch Boxes, of which the followingis a specification. y

This invention relates to improvements in switch boxes or casings,of'the type employed for the purpose of protecting switch and fusemechanisms from being tampered persons.

The primary object of the invention re-' sides in the provision of aswitch box or casing of simple design and formation and wherein featuresof construction are embodied which will serve to prevent the maincircuit controlling switch from being tampered with without making thefact of the operation apparent upon inspection, the box being of suchconstruction that access to the switch enclosed thereby can only beobtained by the fracture of a seal by means of which the box is locked,the said seal thereby serving as a telltale to permit one to note at aglance whether or not the switch structure has been molested. 7

Another object of the invention resides in forming the box or casing soas to include a switch compartment and a fuse compartment, access to thefuse compartment being obtainable by means of a pivot door struc-' ture,and the said door structure, in turn, being locked in its closedposition by means of a pivot plate member, the arrangement bein suchthat the plate member must be osci ated to a position clear of the doorstructure'to permit of the opening of the latter, and when said platemember is in the latter position, the same will cooperate with thehandle of the switch structure to open the same.

With,- these and other objects in view, as will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention accordingly consists in the novelfeatures of construction, combinations of elements and arrangements ofparts hereinafter to be fully describedand particularly pointed out inthe appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a art of this specification, and inwhich simfiar characters of reference denote like and correspondingparts throughout the several views thereo Figure 1 is a perspective viewof the im- 1921. Serial No. 484,420.

Referring more particularly to the of the invention, the numeral 1designates the improved switch box comprising the present invention. Inthe form of the invention specifically disclosed, the box is formed fromsheet metal, and includes a rear wall 2, integral forwardly extendingand vertically disposed side walls 3, a flat horizontal bottop wall 5,and an open.

tom wall 4, a similar front 6, which is adapted to be closed b means ofupper and-lower door members i and 8 respectively. The door member 7 isalso of a metallic construction, and has its upper end provided with apair of ears 9, which are pivoted as at 10 in connection with upstandingflanges 11, integrally formed upon the upper edges of the side walls 3.he ears 9 constitute parts of side flanges l2, integrally formed withthe door member'7, and when the latter-occupies a closed position, itsside flanges 12 will lie parallel with and immediately adjacent to theforward edges of the side walls Similarly, the upper edge of the doormember is provided with an inwardly extending flange 13, which is sodisposed that when the door 7 is in its closed position the said flange13 will extend parallel with the box. This construction ofthe door .7enables the latter to encase the edges of the box that surround the openfront 6, and thusa structure is provided which will be substantiallywater-tight. By pivoting the door 7 above the plane of the wall 5, t eflanges 13 may be employed. The lower door member 8 is similar inconstruction tothe upper door member, except that the lower doorispivoted as at 14., to the lower part of the box casing, and thereforeswings downwardly, when being opened in contrast wlth the upwardswinging movement which will be im parted to the door 7 when the latteris opened. The said lower door member also has its side and lower edgesprovided with flanges 15, which overla the outer edges of the side andbottom w s 3 and 4., the said the top wall 5 of r l flanges 15cooperating with the flanges .12

pertinent will be clearly evidenced.

in a locked condition, towhich access cannot be had without destroyingbreakable parts or in marring the structure to such an extent'that theaccess to the switch coma To this end, the upper edge of the door 8 isprovided" with an inwardly extending flange T8, the inner edge of whichterminating in an upstanding longitudinally extending rib l9, which isnormally positioned within the confines of the box proper. Ex tendingadjacentto the rib 19, but in advance thereof is a locking rod 20. Thisrod is provided with an enlarged head 21 and with a threaded shank '22,the latter being disposed to be received within registering openings 23,provided in the side walls 3. The threaded ended the shank whichprotrudes beyond one of the'side walls 3 is provided with a nut 24,capable of holding the rod against accidental displacement, and

- the extreme outer end of the shank 22 is till all)

all

provided with a irangibleseal 25, by means oi which the rod 20 cannot bewithdrawn from its locking engagement, with respect to the rib l9,without the fact of its removal becoming apparent. llt will be seen thatwhen the rod is properly positioned, it will be impossible to pivotallymove the lower door-8, and thus access to the switch compartment will beprecluded. The top of the switch compartment is closed by means of awall or partition 26, which is preferably tiered from fiber, rubber orother insulating material, and extends completely across the.

interior of the box between the, door- 8 and the rear wall,2,"the saidpartition underlying the flange l3 and is thereby locked, when the door8 is closed, iii active position, closing the top of the switchcompartment. Within the box there isprovided the usual insulating base27, which secured to the rear wall 2, the lower portion of said basebeing provided with the usual oscillating knife switch 28, which isadapted to have its operation governed by means clan exteriorly arrangedhandle 29. This handle is particularly shown in l igure l, and includesat its outer end an arcuate book 30 by meansoi which the handle may begrasped for manipulation in order that the switch may be thrown on oroil, By this construction, it will be ap parent that the operation ofthe switch may.

to the casing, but that the terminals of the intense be readilycontrolled, but that the compartment 1'? will be efi'ectivel closed toprevent tampering with the terminals of the switch itself. Thiscondition will prevent wires from being surreptitiously attached to theswitch structure and then led to points of use. Y

Pivotal'ly connected as at 31 with the upper portion of the door 8 is apivot guard or looking plate 32. This plate, as shown, in Figure 1,39,formed from sheet metal and is adapted when normally positioned toextend in i'ront of the upper door 7, in order that the said latter doorwill be retained in its closed position. The plate 32 has one of itsvertical edgesprovided with an inwardly extending fiange 33, capable oflying contiguous to one of the side walls 3, and a projection 34: isprovided on the plate beneath the flange 33, the said projection lyingin the same vertical plane as the major portion ot' the plate. It willbe seen that to open the 4 door 8, for the purpose of obtaining accessto the fuse compartment 16, it will first be necessary to oscillate theplate 32 so that its edge 35 will lie immediately beneath the lower edgeof the door 7. When this is done, the door 7 will be released,permitting the same to be raised or lowered about its pivot 10 at'will.However, it will be observed that the relationship between theprojection 34 and the hooked end 30 of the handle 29 of the knife switch28 is such that as the plate is oscillated outwardly to unlock the door7, the said projection will engage with the hook 30, thereby causing theoscillation of the handle 29 and the consequent opening of the switch'28Therefore, in view of this construction it'will be manifest that the{use compartment will not be accessible until the knife switch has beenopened. This is a feature of safety which will prevent injury tounskilled persons when engaged in the act of adjusting or replacing the-luses 36 carried. by the base 27 and located within the compartment 16.l I

.From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that the presentinvention provides a switch box which may be eficiently utilized inprotecting the electrical installations of public service companies fromsurreptitious or unauthorized actuation. By. its use, the switch encasedthereby may be freely operated, from an exterior position with respectswitch will be enclosed to prevent the attaching of wires or othercurrent conveying devices thereto without furnishing some evidence, oithe fact of such use. Also, by ME means of the pivot plate 32, personsun lamiliar with the electrical apparatus may adjust or replace thefuses 36 without tear of shock or injury, because of the fact that theswitch will be opened prior to the openings of the door 7. Then, thesaid plate will W} ion llld

c spaced fuse and switch com artments,

also serve, as above specifically described, to prevent current frombeing drawn out of the box by way of the fuses and the door 7. Theconstruction of the box is simple and all parts thereof are capable ofbeing substantially united so as to produce a structure capable ofwithstanding adverse weather conditions and to prevent the entrance ofmoistureor water into the casing proper.

What is claimed is:

1. A switch box comprising a casin having an open front, a partitiondispose within said casing and dividing the latter into pivot doormembers for each 0 said compartments, locking means for retaining thedoor member of said switch compartment in a .closed position, afrangible seal for said locking means, a switch disposed within saidswitch compartment, an operating handle for said switch locatedexteriorly of said box, and a pivot guard plate normall arranged tomaintain the door member 0 said fuse compartment in a closed position,said plate serving upon oscillation to engage said switch handle to opensaid switch when said plate occupies a osition permitting of the openingof the oor member of the fuse compartment.

2. A switch box comprising a casing including an open front, a partitionlocated within. said casing and dividing the latter into spaced fuse andswitch compartments,

pivot door members for each of said compartriients, said door membersbeing adapted to close the open front of said casing, a lockingmechanism for the door member coveron the door member of the switchcompartment andcooperative with the upper door member for retaining thelatter in a closed position, said guard member. serving to en gage theoperating handle of said switch mechanism so that the latter will beopened whenever the guard member assumes a posi tion permitting of theopening of the door mem or covering said fuse compartment.

3. A fuse box comprising a casin having an open front, a partitionlocate within said casing and dividing the latter into spaced fuse andswitch compartments, door members pivotally connected ,With said casingand arranged to cover the front of said casing, a switch located withinsaid switch compartment an operating handle for said switch extendingexteriorly of said casing, and a pivot guard member carried by the doormember of said switch compartment and normally disposed to prevent theopening of the door member of the fuse compart ment, said guard memberhaving a horizontal flange carried thereby arranged for 00- operationwith said switch. handle, whereb when the guard member is moved to aposition permitting of the opening of the door of said fuse compartment,said switch will occupy an open position. v i

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

EDGAR J. WEAVER.

